Method of making oil gas



Jm, Emi'. P. HAHN METHOD OF MAKING' OIL GAS Filed March 21, 1924 1.712 m9114701'. fau] fa/U7. 515% i Patented Jan. 6, 1931 UNITED STATES PAUL HAHN, or cAssEL-wrnnnmsnonn, GERIIANY METHOD 0F MAKING OIL GAS Application led March 21, 1924, Serial No.

This invention relates to a method of producing synthetic oil gas from heavy oils. Numerous experiments have been made in this direction, and it -has for instance been proposed to solve the problem by producing a mixture of heavy oil, steam and air, and then by partial combustion producing oil gas or by adding superheated steam to the o1 In this manner the problem could however not be solved entirely as it was not known that, in orderl to obtain the highest possible caloric value, the condition has to be fulfilled, that the heavy oil must at first be in a gaseous state or that thevapor produced must be at least superheated before a gasifying medium, such as steam, hydrogen, oxygen, or ozone, is added.

The method of producing oil-gas, according to the invention, is based on this knowledge. The method consists inlbringing the heavy oil to the purest possible gaseous state before a diluent medium, for instance steam, hydrogen, oxygen or the like, is added, eventually with the addition of air. If hydrogen land oxygen are used, .the proportion between them should be practically or approximately the same as in steam or water. This mixture can for instance be gasiied by partial combustion and utilized in any convenient man# ner. By the improved method the heavy "oil could be decomposed or steam might be generated for any purpose. The vapors produced could for instance be recondensedin order to obtain from the same light hydrocarbons (benzine and the like), or the gases produced might be used for driving engines, the exhaust gases from said engine being utilized for vaporizing a liquid the boilingl point of which Vis lower than that of the liquid fuel. v The gasifying of the liquid-fuel which is atomized as' finely as possible is carried through under pressure, e. g.. by conducting through several spaces hav-ing narrow outlet ports (nozzles). ,When flowing through these nozzles the energy of ow is for the greatest part transformed into pressure so that `the pressure -is increased from nozzle the liquid' fuel for instance successively 700,977, and in Germany February 12, 1924.

to nozzle. If desired small quantities of airV are added to-the liquid fuel to be gasied. The gasifying process may however be carried out in several hases. At the first phase the quantity of liquid fuel in a finely atomized state is for instanceregulated and in the second fphase the liquid fuel is exposed to the and at the fifth phase a chemical*ortphysicalfl transformation of the liquid fuel.- with a gasifying medium is effected.

I wish it to be understood that where I speak of gasifying the meaning is to produce carbon monoxide from carbon and oxygen and saturated hydrocarbons 'from unsaturated ones.

' By moleculabkinetic action the following'- is understood z-The molecules strike on the inner surfaces of the nozzle/walls as in these nozzles the velocity is transformed into pressure. The inlet opening of each nozzle is comparativel p wide but the outlet opening is narrow and t ecounter pressure is increased bythe gasifying medium which increases the surface of gas or steam by which also a catalytic eiect is produced. Consequently the molecules press and strike on one another and on the inner surface of the nozzle wall when ytraversing the nozzle. The molecular action serves to loosen the structure of the oil.

The oil and the vapors and gases generated from'the same are heated by the waste heat from the gas mixture whichvis burnt or from a'ny other source of heat, so that the oil during its travel, up to the moment when it is mixed with the gasifying medium, is

vaporized, dried and superheated. Wh'en steam is used as a gasifying medi-um the surprising phenomenon is perceived that the gasilication 1s almost complete. conditions the steam is separated into hydro- Wgen and oxygen, and eventually a chemical transformation of the steam or its constitu- Under certain hydrocarbons takes place. At the outflow of this mixture, from the aparatus in which it has been produced the production of the constituents of the mixture, e. g. the production of the oil vapor and of the gasifying medium can be carried out in two separate vessels. These vessels might however. be combined to form one apparatus. -By the method according to the invention even heavy fractions of the oil can be thoroughly gasitied, owin to themolecular-kinetic action in the nozz es, as this action prepares fractions which are ditlicult to volatihze for distillation by the hydrogen` dissociated from the steam. Residues of theoil which cannot be gasiiied can be removed from the apparatus and used for other purposes, for instance for' the production of briquettes. i

An apparatus, adapted vfor carrying out the above described method, is shown in vertical section by way of example in the single figure of the accompanying drawing.

The liquid fuel, viz. crude oil is passed through valve a from a reservoir a1 into a preliminary heater or vaporizer b. The

eating means for the heater or vaporizer b are not shown. The'top of this vaporizer is connected with the top` of the reservoir af b a pressure-equalizingpipe a( The oil whic has thus been vaporlzed llows through a tube c, the'end of w ich extends u wardly into the preliminary vaporizer an which preheater or preliminary vaporizer b is moderately heated to the main shell of the asifier d into which a vessel e is inserted w ich is composed of two parts having each a plurallty of superposed and downwardly inclined sheet-metal plates f1, res ectlvely. This vmain gasifier may e heate by any suitable source of heats The partitions f, f1, the inner ends of which overla -one another and form practically narrow o long or longitudinal nozzles a: whichy extend overthe entire width ofthe plates f and f1 and through which the oil vapors and gases must ow in the direction of the arrows in order to get to the outlets g or m. The orifices of the nozzles formed by the partitions, are narrow and sharpedged wherefrom results,

- that the lvapors and gases are. strongly agi tated and come in contact with the large heatin plates or balles f1, fwhereby a catal` 1c e ect is attained. These'plates or bafes consist of metal, and I have found that .iron and nickel are particularly suited `for the purpose in view. But the nozzles form,

-or act as, dilusers. The partitions which form the walls of the nozzles and whichA are Vheated in any convenient manner serve further to complete the gasification Aof thel oil and Vto super-'heat the oiI vapor, so that the oil comes out of the compartment e in the 4Astate 'of superheated oil vapor or at leastin the state of vapor. 'lhe compartment is supflow-from reservoirs a1 and/h1.A

Tshown)., The top of the-reservoir h1 is connected with the top of the vessel 'i by a pressure-equalizing tube h2.. The water or steam injected into the heater flows in the direction of the arrows drawn in full lines .throu h a tube k into a superheater l which may le of anyv convenient shape.

Thls superheater may be omitted.

The steam flows then into the intermediate space between the compartment e and the outer casing d and admixes with the oil vapor flowing in throu h a ertures d in the flange d" of lid d whlch ange rests'up'on the compartment e, the mixture of steam and oil-forms oil gas which flows outthrough the nozzle g. Near the outer nozzle airis sucked from the steamwhich is assisted by the cataylytic actions of the plates. At the top en d of the gasifying vessel d a gas su ply m 1s' or autogarranged designed for instance enous welding.

The oilf gas produced according to this` method lisladapted, besides other purposes, for heating*roo1ns,boilers, ovens or furnaces for the metallurgie and-ceramic industries,

for the production of Welding flames and the like, for internal combustion engines, steam engines and gas turbines as well as for illuminating purposes. The preliminary vaporizer b has in 1ts bottom a .discharge pipe b1 through which the constituents of the oil which have not` been vaporized may be withdrawn. In thelower part of tube c an opening-,c1 is arranged through whichthe heavier fractions ofthe oil can flow from the vaporizer b into the tube c and then into gasiti'er d;

The pressurein-the gasifier d affects the To avoid using separate pumps for lfeedingithe oil or the water int-o these-reservoirs the gas under pressure in the gasifier d l (less small losses from friction) is connected through conduits 11.2 and a2 into these reservoirs'so that the pressure in the same is approximately equal tothe pressure in the gasifer d and an uniform admission of liquid to the apparatus is ensured by suitably adjusting 'the :valves a Vand iasv l The vaporization of the oil can also be effected by subjecting it partly or wholly to high pressure, and relieving it thereafter from this pressure, as pressure and heat, concerning their effect upon the oil in this process, are equivalents.

I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myseltl to all details described; departures in the details are possible which are no departures from the invention. Thus, for instance, matters, as regards the method and its effect. would not be changed if the direction of the fluids would be the reverse, that is to say, if the fluids would be introduced into the gasifying vessel at the top and withf drawn at the bottom thereot', or if the fluids would be conducted through said vessel in a horizontal direction. The catalytic action of the staggered plates would be absolutely the same. Their action and etl'cct would also not be changed it' they would have another shape than that shown in the drawing merely by way of example, it being, as a matter of course, presupposed .that provision be made for the requisite intimate contact between the fluids and the said members.

By means of the described apparatus the gas is prepared as follows:

On its way the vapor of oil is subjected to violent thrusts by sudden alterations of the direction with a following contraction. a supply of heat and subsequent contraction, for instance in passing over from tube c into the gasifer d, in which are alternately a1'- ranged baille-plates, with one another and being heated to 400 C. for instance.

This internal friction with continued supply of heat causes a molecular loosening of the structure of the different hydrocarbons, said structure offering little resistance in itself. Under this condition the mixture of oil vapors catalytically acts on the steam flowing towards at a temperature of 400 to 500 C. in the sense, that the loosening, otherwise at these temperatures only beginning, increases. Thus hydrogen becomes free and hydrogenates the hydrocarbons, which are non-saturated.

Said hydrocarbons form stable gases due to the heat.

The influence of the dissociated oxygen may probably judged in such a manner, that by the oxidation of hydrocarbons, which decompose owing to their instability internal reactions arise, the final products of which are CO, H2 and H2O vapor. The resulting gas contains as constituents hydrocarbons of the methane series, H2, CO, and small amounts of CO2, O2, and N2. The liquid products are used similarly to gasolene.

I claim 1. A method of making oil gas; which comprises vaporizing oil in a heated vaporizing chamber, passing the oil vapors to a heated separate gasifying chamber, .said

gasifying chamber having staggered and spaced catalytic metal plate bales forming narrow spaces or nozzles; admitting steam to the lower portion of the gasifying chamber and mixing the oil vapors and the steam;

passing the mixed oil vapors and steam in an upward direction through the nozzles and heated baflles, and thereby forming oil gas; and withdrawing the oil gas from the upper portion of the gasifying chamber.

2. A method of making oil gas; which comprises vaporizing oil in a heated Vaporizing chamber, passing the oil vapors to a seplarate heated gasifying chamber having stagizing chamber, passing the oil vapors to a separate heated gasifying chamber having staggered and spaced catalytic metal plate baffles forming narrow longitudinal nozzles; admitting oxygen and hydrogen in a gaseous lstate to the lower portion of said gasifying chamber, and mixing the oil vapors and the oxygen and hydrogen; passing the thus obtained mixture in an upward direction through said narrow longitudinal nozzles and said heated baffles so as to thereby A form oil gas; and withdrawing the gas from the upper portion ot the said gasifying chamber. 4.. A method of making oil gas: whlch comprises vaporizing oil in a heated vaporizing chamber, passing the oil vapors to a separate heated gasifying chamber having staggered and spaced catalytic metal plate baflles forming narrow longitudinal nozzles: admitting steam to the lower portion of said gasifying chamber, and mixing the oil vapors and the steam; passing the thus obtained mixture through said narrow longitudinal nozzles and said heated battles so as to thereby form oil gas: and withdrawing the gas from the said gasifying chamber.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature.

PAUL HAHN. 

